The BridgeBlog

While there are numerous keys to success in the fast-paced world of customer support – it seems to me that multitasking should most certainly be at the top of that list. So, here’s an example of why.

After a recent visit to my local Verizon Wireless store, the chance of me ever switching to another carrier is now slim to none. This is not because of the product or coverage or advertising, but because of the level of service I received and observed.

Last week, it was time for a new phone for my son and I, so off to the Verizon store we went.  I had been emailing Kerry, the store manager, so when we arrived I asked for him personally.  He greeted us and listened intently to our needs, then made several recommendations in phones.  He reviewed the features, and then left us alone for a time to consider the options.

His timing was perfect, seemingly always there when we had questions, but never pushy.  He was attending to other customers, but we always felt we had his attention.  However, after we chose our phones … this is where the real magic happened.

During the check-out and activation time, Kerry was multitasking like nothing I’ve ever seen before. He was …

• Instructing us on phone features.
• Activating our phones.
• Ringing up the sale.
• Completing rebate paperwork.
• Answering questions from his employees.
• Giving approvals for discounts.
• He even recognized a client as being USA Military and offered a generous discount.

Kerry handled this situation like a true professional.  He made us feel like we were number one on is priority list, while taking care of 10-15 other issues at the same time.  He was multi-tasking between clients, employees and other duties, but at no time did he make us feel like we were number #2.

We left the store with two new phones, a renewed contract and a very, very good opinion of Verizon Wireless.

In today’s fast paced customer support environments, multi-tasking is most certainly the key to success!

Is your organization armed and ready with the right skills to offer the support your clients deserve?  BridgeFront’s new library of Customer Communication Skills courses will guide your staff – whether they are new to customer support or a veteran – in successfully communicating with customers, patients and even co-workers.

Click here for details on BridgeFront’s customer service and communication skills online course library. Or contact us directly by sending an email to info@bridgefront.com or call 866-447-2211.

On my past few posts, I’ve pointed out some good customer service…now let’s look at the impact of a negative case.

The Story

I took my car in for repair at a Jeep dealership in Wilsonville, Oregon. Not having been at that dealership before, I stumbled my way toward the service area. With no signs to lead the way, I asked someone where the car check-in was, he pointed to a lady behind a sliding glass door. Knocking on the door, the lady pointed at another door for me to enter through, which I did. I stood at the desk for 3 minutes while she was busy typing on her computer. Not looking up she mumbled something about finishing what she was doing. I waited.

Finally, she looked up and asked for my name and problem. I explained that my Bluetooth radio was not working. She immediately asked for my phone’s model number (now, how in the heck would I know that?). I handed her the phone and she tore off the back of the phone (without asking me) to get the model number. Looking at a list, she told me it was not supported. I was armed with the list myself and pointed out that it was supported. She mumbled again.

Next, after filling out two forms and not uttering a word to me, she walked out of the room. Not sure if I should follow…so I did. She got in my car, hung a sign on the mirror and started to walk away. I asked if that was all and she indignantly said, “You have to sign the work order,” and walked away. I followed, signed the document and then left.

Now, I am just waiting for the news…guessing the dealer will call and say either the phone is not supported, not working or that they couldn’t find anything wrong.

The Financial Aftermath

So what are the side effects of this encounter? Well, if you are thinking about a new car, you will certainly not go to Wilsonville to buy a Jeep. If you are thinking about a Jeep, you will certainly think twice about it. If you have 10 friends, you will tell them … and if they have 10 friends … and so on.

Me?  Personally will call another dealer for the service to be performed, and when in the market for a new car, I will certainly avoid the Jeep dealership in Wilsonville, Oregon.

If you add all of that up, it could count for hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost business. The dealership will not even know it, but if they cared they would have taken care of their clients in the first place.

By the Way

There was also a puddle of water on the floor of the car when I took it in for service … after 10 days the car was taken apart and re-assembled with the promise that it is fixed.  So my new car stinks now, might or might not leak anymore and still does not have a phone that works.  Customer service is dead in Wilsonville, Oregon.

There’s More – This Posted by the Dealership

This comment was posted by someone at the dealership (reverse IP addresses tell us that).  It is hard to believe that a dealership employs people with this type of attitude toward clients.  Oh, if you look at www.jeep.com there is a listing of phones that ‘work’ with their Blue Tooth … the phone in question is on the list, so the author of the comment is wrong, again.

In response to your lack of knowledge concerning your vehicle, the Chrysler site for looking up your compatability will tell you whether or not your phone will work with the system based on PHONE COMPANY and PHONE MODEL, and if you don’t know what type of phone you have, well shame on you maybe you shouldn’t have one. Relying on the cell phone company specifically the sales person WHO SOLD YOU THE PHONE to say that the phone will work is just plain ignorant on your part. It is always easier to place blame on something not functioning correctly on the manufacturer rather than the consumer not reading and understanding the systems on your vehicle. I have been at the dealership many times and had no problem finding my way around, all you have to do is lift your head up and read the signs that direct you both inside and out.

BridgeFront’s ‘Communicating with Customers’ Education

BridgeFront offers an extensive library of courses on communicating with customers. Customer-facing staff members have seen an entirely new set of challenges in dealing with clients and patients – including cell phones, texting, email and instant messaging. In today’s fast-paced environment it’s critical to arm customer-facing staff members with the necessary skills to respond and resolve issues quickly and professionally.

For more information visit, www.BridgeFront.com, call 866-447-2211 or send an email to info@bridgefront.com.

Recently I was watching the evening news and was surprised to hear some statistics on cell phone texting.

The average adult sends just 10 text messages per day, but teenagers aged 14-17 send about 3,000 per month. One sixteen-year-old sent about 4,000 per month.

Child Psychologist David Swanson says, “The problem here is they’re missing the verbal training we need later in life, such as a job interview, talking with a friend and consoling friends.”

So, we have a problem…our entire pool of entry-level employees for the next 5 years can’t communicate verbally. And you think customer service is bad now? Just wait. Yet another burden on our companies…that is, teaching entry-level employees how to communicate.

The technologist says that’s easy. Simply put a Teleprompter in front of them and have them read from the screen.

Have you ever talked to someone that’s doing that? Here’s one that I ran into the other day, “Hello, I would be most happy to make your service call a satisfying experience, may I initiate a trouble ticket on your behalf?”

Hey, can I explain my problem before you start reading your screen? Teleprompters do not work.

We need real plans for training our entry-level employees with real education.  It will take time, energy and money.

Best prepare now, there’s an entire generation waiting for you.

For information about Customer Service training, visit www.BridgeFront.com. Or contact us directly by sending an email to info@bridgefront.com or call 866-447-2211.

Okay, so this is my last blog post on the book Brain Rules by John Medina. There is a lot in there and I can’t give you a summary of all the good stuff. Maybe I’ve intrigued you through these snip-its of information that you will read it yourself! Regardless, let’s wrap up this book and look at another “Brain Rule”.  In my last post I shared the “Repeat to Remember” rule. Here is another rule that intrigues me, it is related to our long term memory, “Brain Rule #6: Remember to Repeat.” I am going to keep this one short and sweet – probably because I am on holiday sugar overload! But, this is my take away from this specific rule.

Repeated exposure to information at timed intervals provides the most powerful way to fix memory into the brain. Okay, nothing earth shattering there…sounds like common sense. But, there is some neat science behind it that helps understand why this occurs. As  information is introduced into our brains, electrical representations of the information are built up slowly over many repetitions, and continuous repetitive cycles layer on similar information and adds to your knowledge base. And the more elaborate the re-exposure of the information is, in spaced intervals, it will increase the chances of the information becoming a long-term memory.

In a nutshell, learning occurs best when we incrementally introduce information over time, rather than jam it all in at once. Food for thought as you consider learning activities that you may be creating as an educator or participating in as a student. Not everyone gets it the first time, so remember to repeat!

Happy New Year everyone!

Well, I am back to blogging after an extended absence – sorry for that hiatus! I am returning to a great book I’ve been reading this past year, Brain Rules by John Medina. In my last post I shared the “every brain is wired differently” rule. Here is another rule that intrigues me, it is related to short term memory, “Brain Rule #5: Repeat to Remember.”

Hermann Ebbinghaus, born in 1850, is most famous for determining that people usually forget 90% of what they learn in a class within 30 days. Rather depressing to think about! In addition, his studies also showed that a majority is forgotten within the first few hours after the classroom experience. Over a 30-year period Ebbinghaus discovered additional interesting facts. One is that memories have different life spans – some may be minutes, while others last a lifetime. Is that why I can put my keys down and forget where they are within 5 minutes?

Here’s where Brain Rule #5 comes into play – Ebbinghaus shared with us that we can actually increase the life span of a memory by repeating the information in timed intervals. So, what can learn from this? Spaced learning is better than massed learning. Good to know.

But, we still need to understand a bit more about our memory and how we can increase our chances of learning something versus just simply recalling it later. Medina provides a great example of this in his book. Try and remember your Social Security number. Easy, right? Your brain may have visually queued in on the last time you saw the card or when you wrote it down. Now try to remember how to ride a bike. That’s easy too, right? Not really – you don’t call up a list of each action step, such as where to put your foot, how to angle your back, where your thumb needs to be placed. You recall these memories differently.

Through research, four sequential steps have been identified for the life cycle of declarative memory – your conscious memory: encoding, storing, retrieving, and forgetting. This is not the time or place to go into the detail that Medina provides, but rather let me just summarize the main concepts.

As information comes into your brain it’s stored in different regions, it’s not a one stop shop for all those thoughts. The more elaborate we encode the information that’s coming in, the better the chance our brain has of finding the information in the future. Making something more elaborate often means making it more complicated, which can tax the memory system. This can improve learning: more complexity means greater learning. Finally, another way to improve your memory of information is to reproduce the environment where it first entered your brain.

Summary: information is remembered best when it’s elaborate, meaningful and contextual.

Ways that you can capitalize on this concept:

1)    Incorporate real-world examples as learning points to help “encode” the information.

2)    A compelling introduction to a learning activity can help the learner “retrieve” the information from memory in the future.

3)    Offer learning activities in an environment that is similar to where / when the information may need to be “retrieved” from memory in the future.

Next time, let’s talk about long-term memory and “Brain Rule #6: Remember to Repeat.”

By Lorraine Schnelle, CPA

We’ve talked about a number of learning tips over the past few weeks. Today, I want to share some information from an interesting book I have been reading this past year. I pick it up often and review sections and some of my side-bar notes. It’s the kind of book that keeps you coming back for more. There is so much great information to digest and retain!

The book is Brain Rules by John Medina. It covers 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home and school. It includes stories and research to support the concepts in an easy to understand format. If you don’t have time to pick it up and check it out, in the coming weeks I would like to share with you a few of the concepts that I have gleaned from the book.

Let’s talk about “Brain Rule #3,” every brain is wired differently.

Did you know that no two people’s brains store the same information in the same way in the same place?

Eric Kandel, earned a Nobel Prize in 2000 when he showed that as people learn things, the way their brains are wired changes. The brain acts like a muscle, as you are exposed to new learning experiences, the larger and more complex your brain can become.  In addition, George Ojemann, a neurosurgeon, an expert at the technique called electrical stimulation mapping found that no two brains are wired identically. External factors can and do impact performance.

So what does this mean to you? Two words – Blended Learning. As a leader or educator, you need to understand that one size does not fit all. Variety is not only the spice of life; it can also improve retention and learning. So, be creativity and supportive of the individuality of your team members. Our personalities and the way we think and learn are unique.

Next time, let’s talk about “Brain Rule #5: Repeat to Remember.”

Listen to the podcast version

By Lorraine Schnelle, CPA

Last week, we talked about my handy CCCQ scale and how to decide upon which educational activities to use in your organization. Now let’s talk about “the end game” – making sure you understand the learning objective of your educational activity and how to stay on target. The last thing we want to do is confuse your learners and complicate the learning process. Learning objectives are statements that define what your students will take away, as part of the skill-building experience.

I like to use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a reference tool for creating targeted learning objectives. In 1956, Benjamin Bloom, with a group of educational psychologists, developed a classification of six levels of intellectual behaviors important for learning. Its lowest level, Knowledge, focuses on the simple recognition or recalling of facts or knowledge . Each level increases in complexity, moving from Understanding to Application, Analysis, Synthesis and finally Evaluation – the highest level.  Bloom’s Taxonomy is easily understood and widely used today. Learn more about each level below.

• Knowledge: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state

• Understanding: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate

• Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write

• Analysis: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test

• Synthesis: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up, write

• Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate

Start each learning objective with a term from one of the six levels listed above. I recently created a seminar with learning objectives, using Bloom’s Taxonomy, for a group of Patient Access Associates. Here are the learning objectives I created for that activity -

• Define critical key performance indicators (KPIs) and their relationship to Patient Access work processes.

• Discuss advancing computer resources in Patient Access.

• Recognize the key skills required of Patient Access Associates.

So, take the time to create your learning objectives, using Bloom’s Taxonomy, and refer to them throughout the educational activity creation process. These learning objectives will help ensure your activity stays on target and you reach the “end game” – skilled and competent team members.

Listen to the podcast version

By Lorraine Schnelle, CPA

In my last blog post we talked about the learning pyramid, which depicts average retention rates based on the type of learning activity. Today, let’s talk about how you can determine the types of learning activities you’ll need as it relates to a staff member’s educational needs.

CCCQ Scale

Below is my very own handy litmus test, the “Compliance, Complexity, Change and Quality Scale,” or my CCCQ Scale. This test helps me understand the big picture of an educational need. Use this scale to evaluate each educational situation and then read my suggestions at the end of this post, based upon your results.

Compliance: Is this a compliance issue? If it is, draw a line on the Compliance scale. Where you put that line depends on the “risk” that you feel this issue has with regard to the organization. For example, if this is a new compliance issue and it relates to a large number of staff members, place your mark near the “high” end of the scale. However, if it relates to a small number of staff members, then place your mark closer to the center. If it is a compliance issue that is not new, but rather a refresher, place your mark between the low and middle section. If it is not a compliance issue, don’t place a mark on this scale at all.

Change: Is this related to a change in process, procedure, technology, etc.? If it is, put a line on this scale based on the significance/breadth of the change. For example, let’s say you are implementing a document scanning system for the first time in all patient access areas. This involves new technology and process education – this is a significant change so place your mark closer to “high” end of the scale. However, if you are changing the dress code policy, even though that can be controversial and cause issues, mark this change on the “low” end of the scale. Again, if this educational need is not related to a change, don’t place a mark on this scale.

Complexity: What is the level of complexity? Ask yourself these questions to help you determine where to place your mark:

• Is it a new concept or issue?
• Is it a unique industry concept or issue?
• Are there many steps that need to be understood?
• Are there terms and expectations that require explanation?
• Have there been other educational activities on this concept or issue in the past?

These are just a few suggestions. Take some time to ponder and come up with your own questions, and determine where your mark should be on the scale. You should have a mark somewhere on this scale.

Quality: Is it a quality issue? If so, ask yourself “do you have quantifiable information that this is a quality issue?” Notice the word “quantifiable.” You may get verbal feedback from a staff member that there’s a “quality” issue, such as there’s been discrepancies noted in patient addresses. This is not enough to make a mark on this scale. You need to take the time to validate the “quantity” or “volume.” That is what you are going to document on this scale – is it “high,” “low” or somewhere in between?

Results

Now that you have all your “marks” on the CCCQ scale, step back and look at the big picture.

• If you have more marks on the “high” end of the scale, this means you should consider a variety of delivery methods and tools as you create the educational activities to support the end result.
• If your marks are on the “low” end of the scale, most likely -
  • One educational tool will meet the need.
  • A large-scale educational initiative is not required. Rather, additional research is needed to identify the individuals that need the education.

Next week, my blog post will talk about “the end game” – making sure we understand the objective of the educational activity and ensuring we stay on target.

Thanks for stopping by and happy training!

Listen to the podcast version

By Lorraine Schnelle, CPA

Whether you have responsibility to set the direction for the revenue cycle staff development program or have the day-to-day responsibility for educating new hire and existing staff – understanding and utilizing the learning pyramid, from the National Training Laboratories, can improve individual skill development and retention. The learning pyramid provides information on the average learning retention rates based on the delivery method.

Each time you create a teachable moment, whether it’s in a staff meeting, a memo or in classroom, consider integrating a variety of learning methods and activities to improve understanding and retention of the material.  Here are a few examples:

New Insurance Card: In addition to explaining the details of a new card at a staff meeting that’s been issued by a local employer, hand out a copy of the card to each team member. Include a print of the ADT screen and ask everyone to read the card and fill in the information on the ADT screen. Review the correctly completed ADT screen. Then, ask if there are any questions. Staff time: 5 minutes.

Medicare Secondary Payer: MSP is a complex and “high” risk process in the revenue cycle. It is imperative that your front-line team members are competent in determining MSP. Again, integrating a variety of learning methods and activities, including refreshers, into your training program will boost retention. Consider the following activities throughout the year. Each of these activities take about 5 to 10 minutes.

• Complicated MSP case demonstration at each staff meeting.
• Open discussion  at each staff meeting on MSP issues and challenges.
• MSP case study handout that is emailed to every staff member, on a quarterly basis, and must be completed and turned in. Staff time: 5 minutes + reviewer time variable (use as education documentation).
• Request every team member make an appointment with a reviewer on an annual basis and demonstrate how s/he interviews the patient and completes the MSP questionnaire.

Depending on the complexity and importance of the information, having a variety of educational opportunities available for your team members is key. This not only improves retention but also addresses different learning styles.

Happy training everyone and good luck!

Simply “watching” your bottom line does nothing to improve it. You need to take action… meaningful policies, procedures, training and tracking measurements. Allowing your staff to  ‘train themselves’ is a big gamble, remember button-button when you were a kid?

Best practices indicate staff education is of the most important tool in improving revenue cycle performance. But who has time? Who has the expertise? And, each staff member has different learning styles. How do you achieve it all?

More and more organizations are utilizing online education. Vendors provide the experts, your staff takes the courses on ‘their’ time and you monitor KPIs realizing its positive effect.

Want to learn more? Download this report on online education.